Purpose - The aim of this study is to compare the diffusion of
certifications under two quality management systems (QMSs) in the
tourism sector in Spain: the generic ISO 9001 international standard;
and the Spanish industry-specific "Q" standard.
Design/methodology/approach - The study pursues this objective by
comparing the logistic curves of dissemination of certifications under
the two standards using data obtained from official sources. This
analysis is complemented with qualitative data from several case studies
of Spanish hotels and restaurants. Findings - The results show that the
two standards are at different stages of diffusion: certification under
the Spanish "Q" standard is increasing, while the ISO 9001
international standard seems to have reached saturation point, despite
the fact that a lower number of certifications have been registered
under ISO 9001 than under the "Q" standard. Originality/value - The main
contribution of this study is that it is one of the first to analyse
the dissemination of quality standards in a specific sector. The
findings are thus of considerable importance in extending knowledge of
quality management in the tourism sector.